Turning engineering into an art form

Posted on Monday 27 July 2009

Professor John Robinson has been selected to occupy the Fourth Plinth for an hour as part of artist Anthony Gormley’s One & Other project.

One & Other is a great opportunity to be part of a unique project while doing something I really enjoy and am passionate about

Professor John Robinson

He will use his 60 minutes at the heart of one of the busiest places in the nation’s capital to share his enthusiasm for engineering and show some of ways it is changing our world.

Professor Robinson, Head of the Department of Electronics, said: “It is important that academics take every opportunity to engage with the public, explain the research we do and how it can solve the problems we face.

“I hope the lecture will be informative but entertaining too. I am used to standing up and talking in front of large groups of people but not in such an unusual and challenging venue. One & Other is a great opportunity to be part of a unique project while doing something I really enjoy and am passionate about.”

The lecture will look at how we go about choosing the best solution from a range of answers, a process known as optimisation. It will include examples from across electronic engineering, with brief excursions into other disciplines including psychology, music and art, and a focus on Prof Robinson's specialist area of image analysis.

Professor Robinson will take his place on the Fourth Plinth at 7am on Tuesday 4 August.

ENDS